A dominant showing with the bat from captain Suzie Bates has led Otago Sparks to the final of the women's Super Smash, defeating Auckland Hearts by 29 runs at Dunedin's University Oval.
Opening the batting for Otago in Thursday's elimination final, Bates struck a masterful 75 runs from 62 balls, complete with seven boundaries and one six. Across both sides' innings, the next best score after Bates' 75 was 28 not out to Auckland's Arlene Kelly.
The win sees Otago through to the final of the Super Smash, where they'll meet table toppers Wellington Blaze on Saturday afternoon.
Winning the toss and batting first, Bates led from the front in every sense of the word, bringing up her half-century from 43 balls, hitting five boundaries along the way.
The White Ferns batter scored the bulk of Otago's runs, as the Sparks posted 143/5 from their 20 overs. Polly Inglis was the innings' second highest scorer, making 19.
Bates comfortably leads the run scoring list in this year's Super Smash, having plundered 501 at an average of 62.62, including five half-centuries with a best of 89 not out.
Molly Penfold finished as the pick of Auckland's bowlers, taking 2/27 from her four overs.
In response, the Hearts' innings failed to fire, with only Kelly and Katie Perkins (24) passing 20.
Auckland lost regular wickets - including two separate run outs - to post 114/6 from their 20 overs, falling 29 runs short of the target.
Sophie Oldershaw shone with the ball for Otago, taking 2/17 from four overs, while Hayley Jensen also stood out despite not taking a wicket, only conceding 11 runs from her spell.
Otago will bid for their first title since 2016/17 in Saturday's final, while the Blaze will be hunting their fifth in four years, after their run of three successive victories was ended by Canterbury Magicians in 2021.
Otago Sparks 143/5 (Bates 75, Inglis 19; Penfold 2/27)
Auckland Hearts 114/6 (Kelly 28 not out, Perkins 24; Oldershaw 2/17)
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